The Portland Trail Blazers have announced their 2013-14 TV schedule. Sixty of their games will be televised on Comcast Sports Net Northwest, while 18 will be aired on KGW News Channel 8. The other four games of the 82-game schedule will be strictly televised on TNT.

While taking another look at the Blazers 2013-14 season schedule, I have noted some things I love and/or hate about the schedule this year. Enjoy.

Love ‘Em

Early KGW Games

The first away game, along with the first home game, will be televised on KGW. Not everyone has Comcast, so it’s nice to see that everyone will be able to watch the first few games.

If you can’t make it out of the house on Oct. 30, 2013, don’t worry; just tune into KGW to watch the Blazers take on the Phoenix Suns on the road.

Damian LIllard and the Trail Blazers open the season on the road against Phoenix. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Likewise for Nov. 2, 2013 as the Blazers host their first home game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Stretch of Home Games

There are three parts of the season that can get the Blazers on a role due to their home schedule.

First off, the Blazers will play five of their first eight games at home this season. The early home games could get the Blazers rolling early. The newly added Trail Blazers will soon know what it’s like to play in front of the best crowd in the NBA.

The second stretch of games that can be helpful to Portland comes right after the All-Star break. The Blazers will have six home games of their first seven games after the break.

They have two three-game homestands with a trip to Denver splitting the two.

The third comes at the end of the season, in which Portland will host five of its final six games. This is a crucial time, as it can potentially secure a playoff spot. Having five of its last six games at home will be very helpful.

We all know that Portland plays much better at home. The atmosphere at the Moda.. forget it, I’m still calling it the Rose Garden. The atmosphere at the Rose Garden is amazing. So amazing that over the past five years, the Blazers have averaged 10 more wins at home than on the road.

There have been 132 wins at home versus just 81 on the road.

Hate ‘Em

Long Road Trips

The Blazers will be going on six road trips of four or more games. Good thing they added some much needed depth this off-season.

Last season, Portland went on road trips of five, six and seven games. The lack of depth made these road trips unbearable to watch. The team totaled a measly 5-13 record during the course of those three trips.

But let’s remember, the Blazers had the worst scoring bench last season. This year’s team is remarkably better.

With a more rounded roster, it should see improvement.

Back-to-Backs

Brandon Roy scored 41 points against Denver on Christmas Day 2009.

Ben Golliver of Blazers Edge has a great breakdown of the Blazers schedule here.

In his breakdown of the schedule, he points out that Portland has 19 back-to-backs. Of those 19, only one will be a back-to-back held at home. Also, the majority of them (10) will be a road-road situation. Portland will be racking up its frequent-flyer miles this season.

The single pair of back-to-back home games will take place Dec. and Dec. 7 against the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.

No Christmas Games

This will mark the third straight year that Portland will not be playing on Christmas day. It’s nice for the players to spend time with their families and what have you, but I hate it.

As a fan of basketball, there is nothing I like more than watching basketball on Christmas day. My brother(s) — in-laws and blood — and I all enjoy the games. I remember the year Portland played at home against the Denver Nuggets.

I bought us tickets to go that night.

They had no idea, and were even talking about how we needed to all go to a game earlier that day.

They opened their gifts, all surprised, it was great. We went and had a great time. The Blazers won, too.

Fun fact: The Blazers win 9 out of 10 times I go to games. I rarely witness them lose. I can only remember two out of many — one was when LaMarcus Aldridge BLOCKED Kevin Durant, yet it was called goaltending with six seconds left. The other was a game against Utah. C.J. Miles absolutely torched the Blazers with five three-pointers in the 4th quarter.

Instead of enjoying a Blazers game on Christmas day, I will just have to enjoy the game of basketball being played by other teams.

ESPN recently projected the Portland Trail Blazers as the No. 10 team in the West in their summer forecast. They believe Portland will finish with a 38-44 record, which is just five more wins than a year ago. They also listed division rival Minnesota Timberwolves as the No. 8 seed with a 40-42 record.

The Blazers lost a nightmare on the defensive end in J.J. Hickson and a few bench players that didn’t contribute. They added Robin Lopez, Thomas Robinson, Dorell Wright, Mo Williams and rookies C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe.

Yeah, that much added depth is only worth a five-game improvement. That makes sense.

This is a team that sat just a few games out of the playoffs before ending the season on a 13-game losing streak. A lack of depth caused their starters to break down and sit out numerous games down the stretch. Some say they were tanking — those said people are right.

They ended up getting a No. 10 pick instead of possibly losing their pick entirely (the pick was potentially Charlotte’s, but was top-12 protected).

Now for some predictions:

Portland Will Make Playoffs

Portland went from having the league’s worst bench to having one of the deepest teams in the West. It has added a whole new second unit with Mo, C.J., Wright and Robinson. The team also has Leonard coming into his second year as a backup to Lopez.

The Blazers still have Victor Claver, Joel Freeland and Will Barton as well. All three of whom played major minutes down the stretch last season for Portland. They should be ready to go if they’re numbers are called upon.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they also added veteran guard Earl Watson to the bunch.

The added depth will take stress off of the starters, as they all broke down towards the end of the 2012-13 season. That is less likely to happen this year, as head coach Terry Stotts should have no issue giving the new bench players quality minutes.

I see Portland winning 10 more games this season. They will go 43-39 which will earn them a seven or eight seed.

Portland will shoot a lot of 3’s

The Blazers will lead the league in three-point attempts. Stotts’ system opens up a lot of three-point shots. Last year they shot the fourth-most 3’s in the league.

This offseason they added more fire power from long range.

Allen Crabbe was a solid shooter in college, as he led the Pac-12 in scoring — he also has NBA range as well. C.J. has shown his long range in summer league, during which he even knocked down a game-tying 3 to force Chicago into overtime.

There was one thing that I was reminded of in the NBA finals: you can NEVER have enough shooters, ever. This is why I love the additions, maybe a little more than most people. I can’t wait to see how they fare against some of the best three-point shooting teams this year.

Some of the best teams at shooting 3’s just so happen to be the best teams in the NBA: the Heat, Knicks, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder and Warriors are great three-point shooting teams.

Better Team Defensively

It’s hard to take a step back from last year. It’s safe to say that Portland can’t help but be better defensively than they were a year ago.

Under ESPN’s 2012-13 Hollinger team statistics, Portland ranked 26th in defensive efficiency. The rating is calculated by points allowed per 100 possessions in which Portland allowed an average of 106.9 points per.

New Orleans, Sacramento, and Charlotte were the only teams to allow more points per 100 possessions. Cleveland was tied at 106.9.

The addition of Lopez will help their interior defense. He is a big body, a solid shot blocker and he will alter way more shots in any game this season than Hickson could in a pick-up basketball game.

In that aspect, they’ve upgraded at center. Hickson was a good rebounder for his size, but so is Robinson. Lopez and Robinson will both help fill the rebounding role while leaving more shots for others.

Last year’s rookies Damian Lillard and Leonard taking the initiative and wanting to work on their defense this off-season will strengthen their defense as well.

Portland will send 2 All-Stars

I know that this is a long shot, but it’s possible. This is assuming that LaMarcus Aldridge does not get traded. I have him locked in as an All-Star. Who can join Aldridge on the Blazers?

Lillard has a legitimate chance to make it this year. It will be tough, especially with Jrue Holiday coming over from the east coast as he joins the newly renamed New Orleans Pelicans.

Lillard is one of the bright young point guards in the game. Coming off a unanimous Rookie of the Year campaign, he will have some added publicity that can help him during the voting process. If Lillard doesn’t make it in 2013-14, I’m sure it won’t be long before he does.

Nicolas Batum is another guy that has a chance to make it. I really liked how he was playing early in the year last season. A few injuries hindered his performance the rest of the season. The key for him is to remain healthy. I can see it happening now that he has a quality back-up in Dorell Wright.

Batum has steadily increased his stat line through the years. His points, rebounds, blocks and steals have all gradually increased.

The stat that impresses me the most was how much his assists went up last year while playing under Stotts (1.4 in 2011-12 and 4.9 in 2012-13). Batum was been put in position to be more of a play-maker.

A position he seemed to be more comfortable with. He tallied his first two career triple-doubles in the process. A healthy Batum is an all-star candidate.

Portland will be a better team this year. It will be a team that competes for a playoff spot. The next question is whether itcan win in the playoffs.

I believe that it can. The Blazers should surprise some people. Depending on who they play, they could win a round or two. I don’t see them beating the Clippers or Thunder, but they have a chance to beat anyone else.

The Oregon Ducks, even without Chip Kelly, rank No. 3 in ESPN’s preseason power rankings. As you may know, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich has taken over Kelly’s job as head coach.

Seeing as how Helfrich ran the offense, the offensive scheme will look very similar. I’m sure the play calling will be different, but this will still be a fast-paced offense ready to put up the numbers.

It also helps that Kelly leaves Helfrich with a ton of talent through his recruiting.

Here are five players that you can’t help but keep your eyes on:

De’Anthony Thomas may be the fastest player in all of college football (Photo: Oregon Football)

De’Anthony Thomas

De’Anthony Thomas will be a Heisman candidate this season. Similar to last year, he might not be listed as the No. 1 running back on the depth chart. Byron Marshall was impressive throughout the spring, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands the starting role.

This doesn’t mean that Thomas will lose touches in any way. I think that if coach Helfrich chooses to go with ByronMarshall, it will be more about keeping Thomas fresh than anything else. Thomas is very versatile, and he will be lining up at running back and wide receiver, along with handling the kick and punt return duties.

That is a lot of stress on one’s legs to have this much of a work load. Marshall will definitely be in the mix, and you may even see freshman back — and Oregon native — Thomas Tyner a little bit (more on him in a few).

The “Black Momba” is probably the fastest player in the nation. Match that with his elusiveness and versatility and that leaves you with an amazing talent to go with your arsenal.

As Jason Quick Tweeted:

The way De’Anthony spells it, it’s Momba. Take your spelling issues up with him

Thomas Tyner

Well, speaking of Tyner, this guy is an amazing athlete as well. One of the best athlete’s to come out of the state of Oregon –i in any sport!

Tyner not only broke records in the state of Oregon (3,402 rushing yards in his senior year), but he had a game that was so ridiculous, only two others in U.S. history have ever done better. The five-star back ran for 643 yards and 10 touchdowns in ONE GAME. This placed him third all-time nationally for the most yards in a high school football game.

There is no doubt that Tyner will be a feature back for this Oregon team for years to come. As a freshman, you will see glimpses of him. Don’t change the channel during a blowout. Leave the channel right where it is so you can watch this guy do his thing.

Mariota is the definition of a dual-threat quarterback. (Photo: Oregon Ducks)

Marcus Mariota

Marcus Mariota took Ducks Nation by storm last season. This is a fast team. Mariota is no exception.

Mariota’s speed, paired with De’Anthony’s on the outside wreaks havoc for defensive coordinators. You will see many two-back sets this season, as you have in the past. Marshall being an all-around inside game that keeps the front seven honest, then you can throw Mariota and Thomas on the outside for some picture-perfect option plays.

Mariota is a likely Heisman candidate as well. Last year, he threw for 2,677 yards and 32 touchdowns while completing 68.5 percent of his passes. He also ran for 752 yards on just 106 carries. That’s an average of 7.1 yards per carry.

If not for all the blowouts, he gets 1,000 yards rushing — easy. I expect him to boost both his passing and rushing numbers this season with Bryan Bennett gone –Bennett transferred to Southeastern Louisiana.

Arik Armstead

Arik Armstead is an absolute monster in the middle.

Travis Haney of ESPN ranks Armstead as number 18 on his Top 50 breakout players of 2013. Here is what Haney had to say about the defensive tackle:

“You never know what sort of answer you’re going to get when you ask an offensive head coach about a defensive player, but newly promoted Mark Helfrich’s eyes widened when I brought up Armstead, the 6-8, 280-pound sophomore defensive tackle.

As an offensive coordinator, he often had to scheme for Armstead in practice.

‘He’s a guy who doesn’t have any idea how good he can be,’ Helfrich said. ‘He’s so technically sound. The NFL will have guys fighting for him. They’ll want him as an offensive tackle. They’ll want him as a defensive tackle.’

Oregon is going to need Armstead to become the breakout player that Haney believes he can be. The loss of Dion Jordan will be tough to overcome.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu will help bring recognition to the Ducks’ defense.

Armstead will need to be the man to hold down the defensive line. His stature alone should create problems for their opponents.

His length is unusual for a football player. At 6’8” he can get his hand on a lot of balls being passed up the middle — J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans comes to mind. He is like a center in the NBA — he makes guys think twice about coming his way, whether that is a pass or a run. Opposing teams will need to scheme against Armstead the same way Helfrich had to in practices.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu had a great year as a sophomore last season. He was constantly tested while playing opposite of Terrence Mitchell at corner. He took that in stride, as he was named to the All-American third-team by the Associated Press.

Last year he led the Pac-12 in passes defended with 20. That number ranked sixth in the NCAA, and he also added four interceptions to go along with 63 tackles. Oregon’s other junior cornerback, Mitchell, only had 40 tackles and eight passes defended (both numbers being lower than his totals as a freshman).

The junior cornerback has been selected to the watch list of the 19th annual Bednarik Award for 2013, which is given to the college defensive player of the year. Like many other Ducks player, he is definitely a player to watch this season.

Playing on such a high powered offense, Ekpre-Olomu and Armstead will hope to make a name for not just themselves, but for Oregon’s defense as a collective unit.

Oregon State has 8 returning starters on offense (9 if you include both quarterbacks) and 7 returning starters on defense.

They lost key players in wide receiver Markus Wheaton and corner back Jordan Poyer, but they kept enough depth to stay competitive this season.

Last year, Oregon State got off to a hot start, going 6-0 before falling in a tough one at Washington, 20-17. I can easily see the Beavers getting off to another great start this year with an easy schedule.

Here are 5 playmakers to watch this season:

Brandin Cooks

With the departure of Markus Wheaton, Cooks will get the chance to become the man on the receiving end. I have him making either the first or second All-Conference team this year as a junior after landing on the honorable mention as a sophomore.

Cooks, one of the fastest receivers in the Pac-12, averaged 17.2 yards per reception last year. He is likely to have an increased workload this season.

The question is, who will be throwing him the football? Both Cody Vaz and Sean Mannion started games for the Beavers last year.

Vas was better at taking care of the ball (11 TD to only 3 INT), but Mannion had a better completion percentage (64.7% to Vas’ 58.9%) over a longer period of time.

Brankin Cooks should be the man this year at the WR position. (Photo: oregonlive.com)

I am giving the edge to Sean Mannion. He had a great start last year and seemed to have a nice rhythm with Cooks early on.

Cooks’ 5’10” frame isn’t ideal when it comes to being a touchdown target, but the Beavers have two big body receivers that can fill that void.

Sophomore Richard Mullaney, at 6’3″ and 192 pounds, will likely see time opposite of Cooks. If not him, I like junior Obum Gwacham to see snaps in the red zone – he stands at 6’5″ and 227 pounds.

Storm Woods

Head coach Mike Riley would like to get his running game going a little more this year. The Beavers ranked just 101st in rushing a last season. Storm Woods better be ready to be their workhorse this season.

Woods is a potential 1000-yard rusher, as long as he can stay healthy. He has a lot of potential – possibly a future NFL rusher. And I absolutely love the guy’s name. Just say it with me, Storm Woods.

Having a more balanced attack could help the passing game, and keep their defense off the field a little longer. Speaking of defense..

Scott Crichton

Oregon State will be anchored by their defense this season, and Crichton will likely be the star of it all. He is viewed as one the best defensive ends in college football.

He is a great pass rusher. He led the team in sacks with 9 last year. 17.5 of his 44 tackles were recorded behind the line of scrimmage. (Scout.com)

He is a force on the outside and should create problems for opposing teams. The Beavers will have to replace two defensive tackles from a year ago, putting even more pressure on Crichton to do well this season.

Michael Doctor

The Doctor is in, and opposing offenses better take note. (Photo: bigstory.ap.org)

Doctor is a three-year starter. As a senior, he will anchor the linebacker group. He led the Beavers with 83 tackles in 2012. Look for him to have another great year as a senior now.

The Beavers are solid on the outside with Crichton on the defensive end, Doctor, and another returning outside linebacker D.J. Alexander.

Getting past these guys on the edge will be a tough feat, unless you’re De’Anthony Thomas.

The Beavers must sure up their inside presence on defense in order to compete with the Oregon Ducks and Stanford Cardinal in the north division.

Rashaad Reynolds

Oregon State has a great anchor at every level on defense. We’ve talked about Crichton at defensive line and Doctor at linebacker.

Now we have Reynolds at defensive back. Losing Poyer is obviously going to hurt them, but they have great depth returning at defensive back, led by Reynolds.

Experience is a key to sustaining success. Reynolds and the rest of the crew bring just that. Reynolds led the team in interceptions with 3 and played well opposite of Poyer last year. He must show more growth this year as he will be forced to cover number 1 receivers now.

The strong returning class for the Beavers will suit them well. Not to mention, having a fairly weak schedule doesn’t hurt.

They will compete with Stanford and Oregon for the north division, but likely fall short once again. I predict that they will improve by a game or two this season.

Not only did Portland add depth, but they did so without having to give up much. They will have two new guys coming in off the bench at the forward position – Thomas Robinson (via trade) and Dorell Wright (free-agency).

The Blazers got Robinson for very cheap. Just a year ago he was drafted one pick ahead of Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard. Since then, he has been traded twice – once by the Sacramento Kings and another by the Houston Rockets. Both were deals Houston made to clear up cap space in order to make a run at Dwight Howard. It worked out well for Houston, as they got their guy. Portland gave up two future 2nd round picks and two euro players that were stashed overseas (Kostas Papanikolau and Marko Todorovic) for Robinson.

Wright came to Portland as a free agent. He actually wanted to come here. He loves to shoot 3’s and it just so happens that the Blazers do too. It helps that Wright is actually a good three point shooter. Plus, his 5 year old son is a huge fan of the Oregon Ducks running back De’Anthony Thomas.

He should fit in justWright in Portland.

Rotation

Wright (4) should give the Blazers a great option from 3 (Mark L. Baer/US Presswire)

The starting forwards will obviously be LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward and Nicolas Batum at small forward. Wright should see plenty of minutes off the bench in place of Batum. Head coach Terry Stotts likes the additions. He also believes that Robinson and Wright should add to some versatility within the rotation. He believes Wright can play at the three and even a little bit of four in a smaller lineup.

Robinson, as he has shown thus far in summer league, is a beast on the boards. He had good rebounding numbers during his rookie season with 4.5 RPG over just 15.1 MPG. He is extremely athletic, strong, and has tremendous length with his 7’1” wingspan (He is listed as 6’9”).

It’s a shame that he wasn’t given more of an opportunity last year. Look for him to make the best of his opportunity here in Portland, especially against his two previous teams.

Both of the new guys will see minutes over last year’s rookie euro players Joel Freeland and Victor Claver. This is the kind of depth they have added.

Last year, it was Claver and Freeland as the backups to LaMarcus and Batum – sprinkled with a little bit of Luke Babbitt (Luke is no longer with the team).

Much Needed Rest For Starters

Yes, the added depth means that the starters will actually get some rest this season. Terry Stotts won’t be afraid to plug these guys in for extended minutes at times.

With the much needed rest, Portland will increase the likelihood of staying healthy towards the end of the season.

They may even be able to finish out a playoff push instead of tanking the season because of declined health to key players.

My Thoughts and Expectations

I think the Blazers have a few candidates for 6th man of the year next season. I mean, hey, if Babbitt can get a third place vote, I’m sure Robinson and Wright can get one.

Wright has made 434 3-pointers over the past 3 season. According to the Trail Blazers twitter account which tweeted the stat line, this ranks him 4th in the NBA during that span. Portland’s offensive sets led to a lot of 3-pointer shots last season. They attempted the 4th most 3-pointers last season. Wright should excel in this situation.

I really like the Robinson deal, especially for what little the Blazers gave up. He is a top talent. He didn’t even work out for Portland last offseason because he wasn’t expected to slip past the top-5 (Portland had the 6th pick).That didn’t stop them from recognizing his talent and potential when pulling the trigger on this deal.

The part that intrigues me most about this deal is that Robinson can potentially work as a security blanket if LaMarcus decides to walk at the end of his contract.

The Blazers now have three lottery picks from last year’s NBA Draft in Lillard, Robinson, and Meyers Leonard. If all three pan out, they may need the cap space that Aldridge would leave behind in order to retain them all.

Only time will tell with this group, but one thing is for certain, the Blazers will have some major decisions to make in the near future.

The date was April 23, 2011. This was Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The Portland Trail Blazers were getting their asses handed to them by the Dallas Mavericks.

My friend and I seriously contemplated leaving early.

With less than a minute left in the third, the Blazers found themselves down as many as 23 points. Both my friend and I lost our ID’s the week before, so neither of us could even buy a beer. We were stuck watching this beatdown sober.

Nothing was going right for the Blazers early against the Mavs.

Then, Brandon Roy happened.

The Blazers seemed to gain a little bit of a spark after a LaMarcus Aldridge two-pointer and a Roy three. The deficit had been narrowed to 18 points heading into the fourth quarter.

It was at that moment that everything changed in an instant. This is what Roy did for that arena. Everyone loved him – he was a hero to those fans — an icon (and it ended up being his final game at the Rose Garden).

Even with his deteriorating knees that held him back from being the Brandon Roy that we all grew to love, he was able to pull out every bit of game left inside of him for one final hurrah.

As the third quarter came to a close, out of nowhere, this huge inflatable tube thing comes up from the bleachers and the music, along with the fans, got as loud as can possibly be. This was now a completely different atmosphere, and it was at that moment that my friend and I gained hope and decided to stay.

All hope had changed. Everyone in the Rose Garden Arena knew that this team wasn’t going to give up.

The 4th Quarter

The Blazers came out in the fourth playing their game, but Dallas was right there with them for the first few minutes trading baskets. The Blazers were able to dwindle the lead down to 13 within the first couple minutes.

Dallas would then score just seven points in the last seven minutes of play, as the Brandon Roy show took place. Aldridge also scored a quick two to cut it to 11 with the assist from Roy.

Shortly later, Roy drained a 17-footer to cut it to single digits. This was now a manageable reach for the Blazers.

Dallas wasn’t going to go away easy, as Dirk Nowitzki knocked down two free-throws. After the Blazers score two two-point shots, Jason Terry hit a three-pointer. Dallas’ lead was back up to 10 with just three-and-a-half minutes left. Could this be it?

Not so fast. Roy wasn’t even close to being done.

Wesley Matthews scored an easy layup on the next possession off an assist from Roy. A missed shot by Terry led to a basket from Roy. The score was 80-74.

Dallas came out of a timeout only to have Gerald Wallace draw an offensive foul against Nowitzki. Aldridge then made a 10-footer on another assist from Roy.

Brandon Roy orchestrated one of the greatest comebacks in franchise history against Dallas.

Matthews stole the ball! After a foul, the Blazers reset and Roy hit a deep two-pointer to bring Portland within striking distance. It is now 80-78. It was so loud that I could hardly hear myself think.

Shawn Marion answered with the ugliest shot of the night to put Dallas back up four points with 01:19 left on the clock. The look in Roy’s eye was something fierce, and you knew he was taking the next shot.

He pulled from deep — it went in! And the foul! Roy drained the free-throw and it was a tie ball game.

The Blazers got a chance to take the lead. Who do they go to? Brandon Roy, of course.

Roy takes his man down the middle, pulls up from about nine feet… it bounced around and in. The Blazers took the lead! Thousands of high-fives, hugs and loud cheers instantly fill the stands. Is this real life? Did this seriously just just happen?

Jason Kidd misses a three — an air ball if I can remember right. Unfortunately for the Blazers, this left them with more than 24 seconds on the clock, meaning that Dallas could get the ball back. One basket puts this one away for good.

Dallas decides to let their defense do the work and opt not to foul. They played outstanding defense on this possession, resulting in a deep 3 that misses by Roy.

Here it goes. Terry jets down the court and pulls up a good look from behind the three-point line. If this goes in, this is the most devastating game I had ever been to.

That shot was the longest shot I’ve ever watched. Terry missed. The Blazers hold on for not only the greatest comeback of recent history, but the best game that I have ever been to.

]]>http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/trailblazers/jasons-best-pdx-hoops-game-15713/feed/1What can Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks do in 2013/14?http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/projecting-2013-success-dana-altman-and-uo-8713/
http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/projecting-2013-success-dana-altman-and-uo-8713/#respondTue, 09 Jul 2013 06:30:21 +0000http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/?p=62230In with the New

Most notable is Mike Moser, who is an Oregon native that played his high school ball in the Portland area. Moser had an offseason last year with UNLV. Injuries and the number one overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Anthony Bennett, was what lead to a down season for him.

Moser will get another fresh start with the Ducks. He spent his freshman year in college sitting the bench for UCLA before transferring to UNLV, where he made a name for himself. At Oregon, he will be a great fill-in for the graduated forward Arsalan Kazemi. They gain a little more offensive versatility and they won’t lose too much on the defensive end. Moser is a great rebounder – he should sure up most of the boards Kazemi was grabbing.

Dana Altman will continue to lead an impressive roster. (Photo: Oregonlive.com)

Along with Moser, in come’s two other transfers Elgin Cook and Jalil Abdul-Bassit. Cook should take the starting role at small forward. Abdul Basset will likely see time off the bench at wing. Both of whom can score when called upon.

Another transfer that they recently added is Joseph Young from Houston. It’s unclear whether he will get to play this year or have to sit out a year. If he does play, he will be fighting the other new coming wings for minutes and shots. He was a great scorer for Houston where he posted 18 points per game last season.

What is this Ducks Team Capable of Next Year?

The Ducks can absolutely make it back to the NCAA Tournament next year. Another sweet-16 bid will be difficult, but I like their odds.

The addition of Moser alone makes them a contender. I did a piece on his first playing year at UNLV. I have liked his game for quite some time now. Playing alongside Bennett last year had to be frustrating; he had to play out of his normal power forward position. The injuries he suffered didn’t help, either.I look for him to bounce back this season, especially with the face paced Oregon offense. Yes, their hoops team plays just as fast as the football team.

The Ducks young guard’s from last year are only going to get better. Dominic Artis and Damyean Dotson were a solid freshmen duo last year and played even better during the tournament. They should make continuous strides to once again get better in 2013-14.

The Competition

While a lot of other teams have lost key players in the NBA Draft, Oregon has done the best job of replacing their guys to build a better team. Here is a look at the other four of the top-5 in last year’s standings (Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and UCLA).

UCLA lost their best scorer in Shabazz Muhammad.

California lost their best scorer (to the Portland Trail Blazers) in Allen Crabbe.

Colorado lost their best player in Andre Roberson.

Arizona added a top recruit in Aaron Gordon, but they did lose three key players – Mark Lyons, Solomon Hill, and Grant Jerrett.

All these teams are going to desperately miss these key players during the course of next season. Arizona will still be a contender. Will Aaron Gordon be enough to take them to the top? I think it will be close, which leads me to…

Most Intriguing Match-up

Arizona and Oregon make for the best matchup for next season. I am interested in seeing how Aaron Gordon plays against a talented player in Mike Moser. Gordon is your prototypical 1-and-done guy. He will likely be a top-5 pick in next year’s draft. He could play either forward position, but I think power forward suits better for his size.

Arizona also has another potential lottery pick draftee in sophomore center Kaleb Tarczewski. Arizona’s bigs will give Oregon some trouble, but I think their guard’s will match up well.

Depth could be a key in the match-up between them. Oregon has sustained depth. They may have even improved it, but only time will tell. Arizona has solid big men with little behind them. They still have Nick Johnson, a tremendous Guard I might add. They will miss Lyons, however, and that could be the difference.

Prediction

Oregon will take the Pac-12 hoops title this year. Arizona will give them a run for their money, but I think depth prevails as Oregon holds on in the standings. Colorado will slip, as will California. UCLA and Arizona State will round out the top 4 (with Oregon and Arizona).

]]>http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/projecting-2013-success-dana-altman-and-uo-8713/feed/0Can Oregon return to NCAA Tournament with new recruiting class?http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/2013-uo-recruiting-class-analysis-25513/
http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/2013-uo-recruiting-class-analysis-25513/#respondSun, 26 May 2013 03:28:20 +0000http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/?p=60757Back to the Tournament

The Oregon Ducks have lost Arsalan Kazemi, Carlos Emory, E.J. Singler, and Tony Woods from last year’s Sweet 16 run. Finding replacements for these guys may not be too difficult with who they’ve brought in.

Kazemi’s rebounding, and all around knack for the ball, pared with Woods’ defensive low post presence, and both Singler and Emory’s scoring and depth that they added will surely be missed.

Dana Altman has done a great job getting guys to fulfill these roles left behind by last year’s seniors. Getting back to the NCAA Tournament may not be as hard as some expect.

Recruits and Transfers

Mike Moser

Moser should immediately contribute.

A great player who has recently transferred to Oregon from UNLV. Mike Moser‘s sophomore year with the UNLV Rebels was outstanding. Last year I expected great things from him and the Rebels, but his junior year was riddled with injuries.

He looks to be healthy now and is expected to start at power forward for Oregon this season.

Moser should fill in nicely for Kazemi. He is solid on the boards and can score from a number of areas on the court. He can shoot and score at the rim. His offensive skills will be an improvement from Kakemi, though they will lose a little bit on the defensive end.

Elgin Cook

A top-ranked junior college transfer from NW Florida State, Elgin Cook is expected to come in and start at small forward. He is a good athlete and defender. He is good at getting to the rim, which leads to easy baskets and is a big reason why he was able to shoot nearly 60% from the field with his junior college team.

Jalil Abdul-Bassit

Another junior college transfer, Jalil Abdul-Bassit spent his past two seasons at North Idaho College where he averaged 13 points a game and shot 45% from the field. The junior wing can come in and give Oregon some depth and scoring off the bench with the ability to play at either 2 or 3.

Jordan Bell

A four star power forward, Jordan Bell‘s high-flying acts and ability to run the floor should fit great with Oregon’s fast guards and up-tempo play. He is also a great defender and shot-blocker. He also has a yellowish tint mohawk that will go great in a Oregon Ducks uniform.

Tyree and Tyrell Robinson

Twin recruits coming to Oregon off football scholarships, Tyree Robinson and Tyrell Robinson from San Diego hope to play basketball for Oregon as well. Tyree is the more touted prospect when it comes to basketball, and he enjoys it more as well.

The two 6’4″ twins are very talented in each sport and should contribute in both sports for the next few years.

They come in as defensive players in football which will help the defensive end for Oregon basketball. Defensive players in football usually translate well to team/off-ball defense in basketball.

A.J. Lapray

A local Oregon kid from Sprague High School in Salem, A.J. Lapray adds more depth to the small forward position. He was a good scorer in high school. In his sophomore through senior year, he averaged over 16 points a game. Give him a year or two and you will see him start to contribute.

Christiano Felicio

A 6’9″ PF/C from Brazil, there are questions regarding Christiano Felicio‘s eligibility, but once that gets cleared up, he should be a solid player for Oregon. From what I’ve seen he is a solid big man.

He has good post moves, finishes well around the rim, and has good rebounding and shot-blocking abilities.

Chances on Making 2104 Tournament

Oregon transfers Moser and Cook will fill into the starting line-up with ease. They don’t really lose much with Austin coming in over Woods at center. They will have the same backcourt with Domic Artis and Damyean Dotson, whom will be sophomore’s next season.

The starting lineup looks good. If they can get some help from their bench then they will be as tough team.

I like their chances to return to the NCAA Tournament and I can’t wait to watch Moser in a Ducks uniform for the 2013-14 season.

]]>http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/oregon-sports/ducks-basketball/2013-uo-recruiting-class-analysis-25513/feed/0Players the Trail Blazers should target with #10 pickhttp://www.nwsportsbeat.com/trailblazers/2013-players-pdx-should-draft-23513/
http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/trailblazers/2013-players-pdx-should-draft-23513/#commentsFri, 24 May 2013 06:14:35 +0000http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/?p=60669Lottery Results Are In

No surprises on Tuesday. As expected, the Portland Trail Blazers landed the 10th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

A top-3 pick would have been a miracle for Portland. Not getting a top-3 pick isn’t the end of the world for the Blazers, though. Looking at the recent history of picks at number 10 can give fans hope.

Here is a look at who has been drafted with the 10th pick since the year 2005:

2005 – Andrew Bynum

2006 – Saer Sene

2007 – Spencer Hawes

2008 – Brook Lopez

2009 – Brandon Jennings

2010 – Paul George

2011 – Jimmer Fredette

2012 – Austin Rivers

I would label the last two draft picks as ‘yet to be determined’ – they both have potential to become good scorers in this league as long as they get the right opportunity.

Of the other draft picks, there has been five stars (Joe Johnson, Andrew Bynum, Brook Lopez, Brandon Jennings, and Paul George), 3 role players (Caron Butler, Spencer Hawes, and at times Keyon Dooling), and then there have been a few busts (Jarvis Hayes, Luke Jackson, and Saer Sene).

There is a mixed bunch drafted at number 10, but judging by history, the odds of drafting at least a role player is pretty high. All the Blazers need is a role player. They need someone to come off the bench and score some points. We all know how bad their bench was last year, there’s no use in going over the stats again.

So, who in this draft can become a role player with Portland? This is a question Portland will have to ask their selves as they go through the draft process. I will give you five guys that I like so far. Keep in mind that draft orders change once players start getting their individual workouts and interviews.

The 5 I Like

Shabazz Muhammad

Shabazz Muhammad should both scare and excite fans in Portland.

There have been concerns about his character issues and not living up to potential. For these reasons, he has dropped in many mock drafts. I still like him.

Getting Shabazz Muhammad at number 10 can do wonders for the Blazers. For me, his draft combine interview cleared up character issues – supposedly he had an age issue. In the interview Shabazz said, “I’m 20″. There is no hiding his age. For some reason at UCLA there was that problem. Now, he says that he will be talking for himself instead of letting others talk for him. Hopefully, this will prevent any further miscommunication between the media and himself.

He is a talented player. He can score from a number of areas on the court. He has an NBA body with his strength and athleticism. He can play either the small forward or shooting guard, which he could serve as a great sixth man for Portland under either position. He can definitely bring a spark to the Blazers bench for next season. If he is there, he is my first choice.

Cody Zeller

Cody Zeller is by far my favorite Zeller. He runs the court better than any big man I’ve seen. For Portland, he can serve as a great back-up to LaMarcus Aldridge. He can also play alongside LaMarcus with their ability to play the 5 spot if needed, but both are probably best used at power forward.

With Damian Lillard, this has become a faster team. That fits Zeller’s abilities and can make for an easy transition for him.

Zeller makes sense for the Blazers with his ability to play the 4 or 5. They need help at every position off the bench and he would be a great addition. Zeller can come in provide solid contributions off the bench.

If Portland went with Zeller, it would not be a replacement for Meyers Leonard. Portland should be looking elsewhere for a center this off-season, as to say via free-agency or trade. Leonard’s potential is worth his continued development. I think the Blazers should continue to stick with that while finding a center that they can fill in for now, someone like Samuel Dalembert or Jermaine O’Neal.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavius Caldwell-Pope is as good as his name sounds (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a good shooter and a great defender. He’s the third best option for Portland with the 10th pick. He can fill a much needed role coming off the bench. He can score and come in and lock up other guards. He is a type of player that thrives off playing defense, which is an immediate upgrade over anyone on the current roster.

He must impress Portland in workouts and interviews for them to reach for him. 10 is a bit of a stretch for him. Sometimes all it takes is the right guy in the right system to become a good player in this league. I feel that Caldwell-Pope can be a Paul George type. I think Portland can give him that same opportunity that George had with Indana.

Michael Carter-Williams

He is a point guard and we do still have Lillard. That doesn’t matter, I still like him.

Michael Carter-Williams reminds me of Kendall Marshall with his court vision – Marshall ended up going 13th last year to Phoenix.

He does bring a little more to the table than Marshall. He has great length for his position. This allows him to defend multiple positions. He also says that he is comfortable playing off the ball, although he didn’t do too much of that at Syracuse.

Portland liked playing Lillard off the ball last year and would hope to do that with Carter-Williams. If Carter-Williams can prove to play off the ball as well then Portland will take a hard look at him.

Portland would like to have two guys that can either play off ball or with the ball in their hands – it can make for a nice combination.

Kelly Olynyk

I’m too much of a fan, but his hair and band reminds me of Bill Walton and I can see Portland fans eating that up. He plays with energy and emotion. Playing behind a crowd that can quickly get behind him may boost his talents.

Kelly Olynyk is another one of those guys that can become a good player under the right the circumstance. He is sort of a local favorite and I think he fits in Portland. There are teams that he could go to and quickly vanish.. kind of like Adam Morrison did. Morrison didn’t have star potential, but he could have become a good role player for the right team.

However, Morrison was drafted high and had to live up to those high expectations with no players around him. It wasn’t the right situation.

Olynyk, if he joins the Blazers, could fit in nicely and quickly become a role player.

Convince Russell Westbrook to pull a Derrick Rose and sit out all season, no matter how bad they need him.

Honorable Mentions:

Convince Memphis to trade you Marc Gasol for Meyers Leonard, a future drat pick, and an outstanding new barbecue recipe.

Create an outstanding new barbecue recipe.

Ok, I’ll admit, those aren’t real. While those things won’t happen and really wouldn’t have too much of an effect on the Blazers, it would be nice if they actually occurred. Here are my *real* top-5 tips for Portland if they want to make the 2014 playoffs.

Lillard’s shooting ability forces teams to stay honest and not leave him to double team Aldridge, allowing either of them to go one-on-one on most plays.

Likewise, with Aldridge’s range for a big man , it works with Lillard’s passing and ability to get to the rim. If Aldridge’s man helps, Lillard can hit him for the open jump shot, and if he doesn’t then Lillard has an easy lane to the rim.

Portland needs to find plays that fit alongside these two guys. If they can find a few this off-season then they are well on their way to a playoff berth.

Get a Defensive Minded Center

Meyers Leonard is far from what the Blazers need as a low post presence. They need to bring in someone who is defensive minded and will consistently rebound. J.J. Hickson wasn’t that guy either, so unfortunately for many Hickson fans in Portland, he is more than likely gone.

There are highly unlikely free-agent candidates such as Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. There are also the more likely candidates such as Pekovic, Samuel Dalembert, or Jermaine O’Neal (more on those last two later).

Al Jefferson is also a free agent, but he isn’t much of a defensive presence… more of a higher priced J.J. Hickson, who is a little more polished offensively.

Or the Blazers can look into trades. Anderson Varejao could be on the market. Do they really want him, though? He might as well have Greg Oden stamped on his forehead seeing as how he’s only played 81 games over the last 3 years.

Draft Best Available

Muhammad could potentially become a Blazer (US Presswire)

People say that the draft this year isn’t as deep as last year. It’s true, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent in this year’s draft. There is plenty of talent among the lottery picks this year.

If one of the top 7 or 8 guys slip to Portland at 10, they better take him. While playing with ESPN’s NBA Draft Machine, I have seen Shabazz Muhammad fall to 10 quite a few times. He is a great talent, he is NBA ready, and he can help Portland right away.

Portland needs help at every position on their bench. Drafting the best available can help to fill one of those needs.

Stretch Your Dollar

Don’t put all your money into one player during free agency. If you can get Dwight Howard, by all means, you go out and get Dwight. But let’s be real, he isn’t coming to Portland, nor can they afford the $20 million that he will be asking for.

Here is where Samuel Dalembert and Jermaine O’Neal come in. You can get them for very cheap, and either one will suffice.

One of these guys is the best option for Portland. It doesn’t disrupt Leonard’s development. In fact, O’Neal has gone on record to say that he is willing to be a mentor for Leonard and help him get better defensively and with rebounding.

It also allows them to sign a few other rotation players in free agency, not just one center and a bunch of bench players who don’t belong on the court.

Add Depth

This sort of goes hand-in-hand with stretching your dollar and drafting the best available. Portland’s bench last year was awful. They were last in the NBA in bench points per game.

Their 18.5 bench points per game were 7 points behind the second worst team, Indiana.

Despite having an awful bench, they were in reach of a playoff appearance with a few weeks left in the season. However, their lack of depth caused their starters to break down towards the end of the season and they ended up losing their last 13 games.

All-around depth is something that Portland must improve on. They won’t be able to do that without stretching the dollar in free-agency and drafting the best available. They don’t need anymore projects on this team. They have plenty of those already, so maybe trading their pick this year isn’t a bad idea. We’ll have to wait and see.